Results on Total and Elastic Cross Sections in Proton-Proton Collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 200 GeV Obtained with the STAR Detector at RHIC

TL;DR

This paper presents the first measurements of differential, total, and elastic cross sections in proton-proton collisions at 200 GeV at RHIC, using the STAR detector's Roman Pot system, and compares results with existing world data.

Contribution

It provides novel measurements of proton-proton elastic and total cross sections at 200 GeV, expanding the energy range of existing data and validating experimental techniques.

Findings

Measured elastic cross section and slope parameter B.

Extrapolated total cross section at |t|=0.

Compared results with global data and models.

Abstract

We report the first results on differential, total and elastic cross sections in proton-proton collisions at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) at $\sqrt{s}=200$ GeV. The data lwere obtained with the Roman Pot Detector subsystem of the STAR experiment. The data used for this analysis cover the four-momentum transfer squared ~($t$) range $ 0.045 \le |t| \le 0.135$ (GeV/c)$^2$. The Roman Pot system was placed downstream of the STAR detector. During the data taking the Roman Pots were moved to ~8$\sigma_{y}$, the vertical distance of from the beam center. They were operated during standard data taking procedure. The results include values of the exponential slope parameter (B), elastic cross section ($\sigma_{el}$) and the total cross section ($\sigma_{tot}$) obtained by extrapolation of the elastic differential cross section ($d\sigma/dt$) to the optical point at $|t| = 0$ (GeV/c)$^{2}$. The detector setup and analysis procedure are reviewed. All results are compared with the world data.